Get a free transaction plan for 2 years as well as other great deals from Desjardins
Get a free transaction plan for 2 years as well as other great deals from Desjardins
At Desjardins, the leading financial cooperative group in Canada, we'll help you get settled with our welcome offer for newcomers1:
Everyday account with a free transaction plan and unlimited transactions for 2 years after your account is opened2.
A credit card,3 potentially with no annual fee,4 even if you have no credit history.
Free legal assistance5 for 2 years after your account is opened. This confidential phone service provides unlimited access to lawyers and notaries for reliable information about your rights and obligations.
This section will help you answer the questions on the online account application.
Additional questions section
For the question What is the intended use of the account?
Select Budget management
Fiscal residence section
Address in Canada section
Enter the address where you’re planning to live, even temporarily, so we can choose the caisse (branch) that’s closest to you. When you arrive, we’ll update it with your permanent address.
Status section
Canadian residency status:
Occupation section
After that, your account will be managed by the caisse of your choice in Quebec or Ontario.
If you’re not planning to travel through Montreal, you can pre-open your account online, transfer your money, then finish the process at the caisse where you’re going to have your account.
With Desjardins, get a bank account with a free monthly plan and unlimited free transactions. We’ll help you manage your money without the headaches.
As the largest cooperative financial institution in Canada and the leading financial institution in Quebec, Desjardins has a solid reputation. Desjardins Group ranks 4th among the Safest Banks in North America according to Global Finance, and its capital ratios and credit ratings are among the best in the industry.
Desjardins has over 7 million members and clients spanning over 290 caisses in Quebec and Ontario (Ottawa and Toronto), and gives you access to over 2,000 ATMs and nearly 1,000 service outlets.
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Please leave your feedback or ask questions
Good morning all,
I have a question about desjardins bank and I can’t find the answer.
If I open a Desjardins account, do I have fees if I pay by credit card in other provinces?
Thanks for your help.
Hello.
Thanks for your question.
I can confirm that the Desjardins debit and credit cards can be used in all provinces of Canada.
As you benefit from a package with unlimited transactions as PVTistes. All payments with both cards are free of charge. The only fees you may have are fees for withdrawing cash from ATMs outside Desjardins.
However, you could withdraw money free of charge in supermarkets with the Cash Back system of your debit card.
cordially
Remy paris
Desjardins Europe
Hello,
I just arrived in Canada with a pvt visa. I wanted to open an account at Desjardins, to benefit from the advantages. But I was asked for my French tax resident number, which I find very odd. I would like to know why a given phone is mandatory for opening an account when this is not the case in other banks?
Thank you for your reply
Hello,
Thank you for your interest in Desjardins.
Indeed we ask for the Tax Identification Number (which you find on your French tax documents) to comply with the new Canadian tax requirements which require that “financial institutions must take measures to more precisely record residence status for the purposes of the tax of their account holders so that Canada can exchange information with the appropriate foreign governments “as you will read on the Canada Revenue Agency website.
https://www.canada.ca/fr/agence-revenu/services/impot/impot-international-non-residents/declaration-amelioree-rôles-comptes-financiers/rôles-particuliers-detenteurs-comptes-institutions-financieres- canadian.html
This does not change the fact that there is no double taxation between France and Canada.
Some financial institutions may be slower to deploy these new requirements.
We remain at your disposal for further information :
– 001 514 875 4266 option 1
– [email protected]
cordially
Rémy PARIS
Desjardins Europe
Hello,
As a result of the recent obtaining of a WHP, I would land on January 22 in Toronto and then reside there until August 2018 minimum.
For this reason, I would like to benefit from your offer by opening my bank account with DESJARDINS.
However, by briefly reading this article, I seem to have understood that the only way to finalize the opening of a bank account (AFTER AN ONLINE OPENING) is to appear in person in Montreal. However, I do not intend to go to Montreal, neither on my arrival on the territory, nor during my 8 month stay.
Could you tell me if I can benefit from this offer under the conditions that are mine?
Especially if so, could you explain to me how I should proceed in my particular case?
I thank you in advance.
Cdlt, Mélissa JOURDAN.
Hello
thank you for your interest in Desjardins and well done for your WHP
You can absolutely initiate the procedure on http://www.desjardins.com/OpenOccount
Then you can finalize it on site in Toronto and take advantage of our welcome offer for newcomers who understand a bank account with unlimited transactions for 12 months among others
More info on http://Www.desjardins.com/toronto
cordially
Remy paris
Desjardins Europe
Hello,
I arrive in early February in Montreal as part of a PVT. However I will surely travel all over Canada and in particular to Vancouver (where it seems to me Desjardins is not present) is this an obstacle to opening an account with you?
In addition do you have partnerships with French banks?
How is it to transfer my French money to my new Canadian account before leaving?
Thank you
Hello. I’m leaving in 4 days in Montreal for a working holiday. Do you advise me to open a Desjardins account before leaving or rather on site? Will I have time to provide you with all the required documents before my departure? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Hello,
First of all, thank you for your interest in Desjardins and congratulations on your immigration to Canada project and your WHP!
The remote account opening process is very simple, free and has 3 steps:
A – We invite you to visit http://www.desjardins.com/OpenOccount and to respond to the best of your knowledge to the form by filling in the mandatory fields.
For section “5.2 Other ID” (> Any official document issued by the Government of Canada or by the Government of Quebec as part of your immigration application)
Complete the section with information related to your VISA:
o For type: enter “Work visa”
o For the number: enter the number starting with U, in the box on the second page of the acceptance letter.
o For the place of issue: enter “France”
o For the expiration date: enter the expected end date of your WHP (arrival date + 2 years)
For the section “9- Other information” you can specify your project to our team.
B – Subsequently our team dedicated to newcomers will take charge of you and communicate with you by email to finalize the opening, receive the electronic versions of your identity documents and guide you through the next steps (transfer of funds,, …)
C – Once there you can be authenticated, recover your means of payment (FREE debit card) and use your account.
This procedure can be done in less than 48 hours.
In case of emergency you can always go to our service point dedicated to Newcomers at 1241 rue Peel, Montreal QC H3B 5L4
If you have other Canadian banking questions, we invite you to contact our dedicated team for newcomers directly:
– by dialing 001-514 875-4266, option 1
– by writing to [email protected]
cordially
Rémy PARIS
Hello,
I plan to go through Desjardins to open a bank account. It would be an opening before my arrival on Canadian soil in order to transfer funds there before my departure for Canada. I have a few questions and clarifications, however:
1. Is this a pre-opening only, with only one transfer possible?
2. Do you accept transfers that do not come directly from a bank account from the country of origin and in the name of the person who opens the account (I plan to use an intermediary money transfer agency such as “transfermate”)?
3. In the opening request procedure, can we choose the bank branch where to go when we arrive to finalize the opening? I will not necessarily arrive in Montreal itself.
Thank you in advance.
Cordially.
Hello,
First of all, thank you for your interest in Desjardins and congratulations on your immigration project to Canada!
FREE REMOTE ACCOUNT OPENING
We offer a very simple and free 3-step remote account opening process:
A – We invite you to consult our reference site http://www.desjardins.com/OpenOccount and to respond to the best of your knowledge to the form by filling in the mandatory fields.
• For section 5.2 Other ID (> Any official document issued by the Government of Canada or by the Government of Quebec as part of your immigration application)
Complete the section with information related to your VISA:
– For the type: enter “Work visa”
– For the number: enter the number starting with U, in the box on the second page of the acceptance letter.
– For the place of issue: enter “France”
– For the expiration date: enter the expected end date of your WHP (arrival date + 2 years)
For the section “9- Other information” you can specify your project to our team.
B – Our team dedicated to new arrivals will then take charge of you and communicate with you to finalize the opening in the Cashier (= agency) of your choice, receive the electronic versions of your identity documents and guide you through the next steps (transfer of funds,,…)
– I confirm that, for reasons of fight against money laundering, you can only make one payment before your authentication in Canada.
This is why we recommend accumulating your funds before departure and favoring a large transfer.
– After your authentication on the spot, you can make all the transfers you want.
– We can receive transfers of funds from all financial institutions or operators, including actors like Transfermate.
C – Once there, you can be authenticated, collect your means of payment (FREE debit card = access card) and use your account.
In the procedure, you can completely specify the Cashier (= agency) where you want your account to be opened according to your place of residence or work and you can finalize your account opening in this Cashier.
If you have other Canadian banking questions, we invite you to contact our dedicated team for newcomers directly:
– by dialing 001-514 875-4266, option 1
– by writing to [email protected]
cordially
Rémy PARIS
Individual Market Director
Desjardins Europe
Hello,
Can we also open an online account for Desjardins while we are based in Toronto? Or do you have to go through the email addresses given below?
Hello,
Thank you for your message and your interest in Desjardins.
You can complete the questionnaire with all the information you need to open an account at http://www.desjardins.com/OpenOccount then we will follow up with our colleagues from Toronto.
Adil Chhaibi: [email protected]
Antoine Sarhan: [email protected]
cordially
Rémy PARIS
I made my step to open an account online but the advisers ask me for a visa or study permit. However I come to Montreal for 4 months and therefore according to the Canadian government I do not need to justify a study permit or visa because my trip is less than 6 months. So I find myself blocked to open an account with desjardins.
Well done for your study project in Canada and thank you for your interest in Desjardins.
Since you are coming to Canada for less than 6 months, we do not recommend opening a bank account. (which is also the case for most banks in Canada)
Indeed you should be able to manage your finances from your French bank account using your credit card.
If your situation absolutely requires a bank account in Canada (payment of a salary, a scholarship, plans for future investments or permanent settlement in Canada, …) please inform our directly our team dedicated to new arrivals who will confirm the possible solutions:
– by dialing 001-514 875-4266, option 1
– by writing to [email protected]
cordially
Rémy PARIS
Individual Market Director
Desjardins Europe representative office
Hello,
I am leaving in a week on holiday and I would like to take advantage of this offer. Do I have to open an account before leaving to be able to benefit from it, or does it also work if we open it when we arrive in Montreal?
Thank you !
Well done for your PVT Canada and thank you for your interest in Desjardins.
You can easily pre-open your account by going to http://www.desjardins.com/OpenOccount and by completing the online questionnaire.
Once there, you can finalize the account and take advantage of the offer, specifying that you have a PVT.
For more information you can write to [email protected]
cordially
Remy PARIS
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